


Strangle

by DreamingKate



Category: Glee
Genre: M/M, Paralyzed!Kurt, survivor's guilt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-04
Updated: 2014-07-05
Packaged: 2018-02-07 10:52:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1896324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DreamingKate/pseuds/DreamingKate
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the accident, Blaine felt like he was drowning.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Kurt and Blaine are in a car accident. Kurt is permanently paralyzed, and Blaine is ok. Blaine feels unbelievably guilty and Kurt and Burt convince him that it’s not his fault. But when he sees Kurt going to physical therapy one day, he can’t take it anymore.

Blaine stared at the slowly revolving fan and tried to time his breathing with Kurt’s next to him. With every breath he imagined that he was pushing down the guilt that was threatening to choke him. 

 

As long as he stared up at the ceiling he didn’t have to see the medication lining the dresser or Kurt’s wheelchair sitting by their bed. He didn’t have to remember the way Kurt screamed after the accident or how he wasn’t able to reach him in their crushed car. 

 

The short gasp of breath as they hit that patch of ice. The dizzying way the car spun. The way Kurt’s fingers scrambled at his arm before the car slammed into incoming traffic.

 

“Hey,” Kurt said sleepily. “What’s the matter?”

 

“Nothing,” Blaine took a deep breath, squeezing his eyes shut. “I just can’t sleep.”

 

“Mmmkay,” Kurt mumbled and fell back to sleep instantly. 

 

After Blaine was sure that Kurt had fallen asleep, he turned to face him. Like this, asleep and next to him, Blaine couldn’t see any differences. Kurt was still so beautiful, still slept with his mouth slightly open, still snuggled into the pillows. You couldn’t tell that he couldn’t move anything below his waist. You couldn’t tell that Blaine was supposed to be the one in his seat. 

 

He just tried to breathe and fall back asleep.

 

The Brain and Spinal Clinic was impersonal and white, not a speck of color. Kurt Hummel belonged in the bright, beautiful world of Broadway, not here. Blaine shoved his hands in his pockets as he trailed behind Burt pushing Kurt’s wheelchair. Kurt chatted happily with his father, waving his hands enthusiastically along with his story. 

 

“Want to join us in the therapy room?” Kurt waggled his eyebrows, shooting a grin over his shoulder at Blaine. “We’re working on deep stretches today. It should be exciting.”

 

This was what Kurt looked forward to now.

 

“Oh…no thanks…” Blaine shook his head and stared down at his shoes. 

 

“Really? You haven’t gone to one session yet,” the smile slipped off Kurt’s face and that familiar guilt bubbled up in Blaine’s chest. 

 

“Yeah but I was kinda…I have plans and…”  _I just really don’t want to see how badly I fucked up._

“I’ll go sign you in,” Burt patted Kurt on the shoulder and slipped into the clinic. 

 

“Have fun,” Blaine took a few steps back. “I’ll see you at home.”

 

“Blaine wait,” Kurt called out and he spun on his heel. “Blaine! Let’s talk.”

 

“There’s really nothing we need to talk about,” Blaine hurried his steps, wanting nothing more than to get out of this awful, white, overly bright building and away from all of this. 

 

“Stop walking away from me when you know I can’t follow,” Kurt’s voice dropped and he froze in place. “Don’t use this wheelchair as a way to get away from me.” 

 

Blaine froze in place and waited until Kurt was right behind him. With a slight tug on his wrist, he turned and faced Kurt. Angry tears flushed in his eyes and Blaine took a few deep breaths, trying to choke down tears of his own. 

 

“Do you remember the morning of the accident? I stayed up all night playing video games, even though you told me not to. I was too tired to drive and…you were mad that I made you,” he whispered, wiping at his eyes. “I shouldn’t have made you drive.”

 

“Blaine-“

 

“It should have been me. We take turns on who drives and it was my turn. It should have been me,” he breathed, tears running down his cheeks. 

 

They were silent for a long moment before Kurt reached forward and took his hand. “Every day I am so grateful that I was the one driving.”

 

“What?” Blaine barked out a laugh. 

 

“I’m not saying that I’m happy this happened. Obviously…I don’t want to be here,” he scoffed and waved a hand at the chair. “But I can deal with it. I can learn to deal with it. I…you dance in our bedroom to stupid music. You jump on furniture. You run around. You’re whole life is motion and the thought of you losing that? It happened to me for a reason.”

 

“Don’t say that,” Blaine weakly shook his head. 

 

“We have two choices, we can either drown in thoughts of what should have happened or we can move on. We’re young; we have so much ahead of us. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life hating what happened,” he squeezed Blaine’s hand. “I love you and I don’t want to see you like this.”

 

He let go and turned, wheeling himself into the therapy room. Blaine covered his face with his hands and took in a few deep breaths. What happened had happened, nothing could change that. This guilt was going to strangle him and kill his future with Kurt. 

 

Kurt didn’t need him to wonder what might have been. Kurt needed him to be here in the present. 

 

Without another thought, he walked into the therapy room and hovered nearby Kurt on the mat. “What…what should I do?”

 

“Kneel here,” Kurt smiled up at him and patted the mat next to him. 

 


	2. Every Step

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt by itisnttheveryend: God please a sequel to Strangle. Maybe a miracle happens and Kurt slowly can move his legs again. That would be awesome. Thanks for being such a good writer :) Love your stories
> 
> Prompt: Strangle was awesome ! Would you make a sequel ? Like, after this, Blaine never missed a therapy session and one day Kurt manages to walk on his own and it gets all fluffy and perfect, pretty please ? :)
> 
> Prompt: Canyou write more to Strangle? Maybe Kurt surprising Blaine by walking and Blaine being in total shock seeing Kurt walk again?:) Maybe Kurt can propose with all the friends and family there and shakily slide out his wheelchair and get down on one knee?:) xoxox
> 
> Prompt: Can we see a follow-up to “Strangle”???

Blaine couldn’t breathe. He felt too hot, like his scalp prickled with tiny little flaming needles. Every single muscle in his body was straining and he couldn’t look away. 

Kurt was standing. 

It had been so long since Blaine last saw him on his feet and he had almost forgotten how tall he was. The muscles had shrunk slightly and Kurt’s entire body shook but he was standing. 

Letting out a shaky breath, Kurt grinned at him. “It’s nice to be able to look directly into your eyes.”

Tears welled up in his eyes and Blaine pressed his hands against his mouth. All those painful therapy sessions had led to this and it was worth every moment. 

"Look at you," he gasped out, unable to hide his grin. 

"Okay. Okay I need to sit," Kurt finally said and his therapist rushed over with his wheelchair. 

Blaine felt himself bouncing on the soles of his feet, feeling beyond happy. Of course Kurt would be the one to refuse to be limited. Of course Kurt would ignore the doctors saying he wouldn’t walk again. 

He was so thrilled he almost missed the short whispered conversation Kurt had with his therapist. 

—

Blaine actually loved going to Kurt’s appointments. 

A lot of them were stressful and many of them were frustrating with how little progress Kurt showed but it was worth it. He loved staying by Kurt’s side, fighting with him every step of the way. 

"Today’s the day," Kurt announced as they went down the hall. 

"The day you run, skip, and dance your way across the room?" Blaine winked and laughed. 

"Cartwheel actually," Kurt have him a mock glare and grinned. "It’s today."

"I believe it," Blaine squeezed his shoulder. 

The therapist gave them both a grin and brought the walker over to Kurt. Standing on the other side of the room, Blaine watched as Kurt slowly pushed himself into a standing position. 

Then he took a step. 

All of Blaine’s breath left him and he stared with wide eyes as his boyfriend slowly made his way towards him. Tears started to roll down his cheeks as Kurt took every shaky, trembling step. 

“How?” He choked out. 

“I’ve been practicing,” Kurt said, slightly breathless. 

When he was right in front of Blaine, he started to fall and Blaine grabbed his arm in a panic. No matter how hard he tried to keep him upright, Kurt was determined to get to his knees.

“Are you alright?” Blaine gasped, one hand still on his arm. 

“Blaine, let me,” Kurt glanced up at him, a small smile on his face.

_Oh._

_“_ Oh my God,” Blaine’s eyes widened. “I’ve ruined it. Oh my God, I’m so-“

“Blaine,” Kurt swayed on his knee, reaching up to take his hand. “I have something to ask you.”

Blaine nodded wildly, bouncing a little on his feet. “Okay. Okay.”

“I made this decision a long time ago and I know it’s the best one I’ll ever make. Just like now, I trust that you’ll catch me when I fall. We’ve been through hell and back together and it’s only getting better,” he smiled up at Blaine, eyes shining. “You made me want to take every step, because every step is towards you. Will you marry me?”

“Yes!” Blaine gasped, falling to his knees to kiss Kurt deeply. He laughed as Kurt slipped the ring on his finger and wrapped his arms around his fiancé’s neck.

They could lean on each other. 


End file.
